Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Age 65 or Older? Learn What Benefits You Qualify For

Every May since 1963, our country has honored the contributions of people ages 65 and older as part of Older Americans Month. Older Americans are an ever-growing population in this country, and by the year 2060, the Census Bureau estimates there will be 92 million people ages 65 and older living in the United States.

As you, your friends or family members approach retirement age, there may be many new and possibly confusing financial and healthcare decisions to face. USA.gov can help you understand the benefits that are available:

The Administration on Aging helps connect you with local programs in your community and all the benefits you may be eligible for. You can find programs and resources on healthy aging, long-term care facilities, in-home services, senior housing options and more.

When it comes to retirement planning, it can be hard to know what advice to trust. With a free packet of publications from USA.gov, you'll learn how you can earn retirement benefits, get explanations of different types of retirement plans, learn what steps you can take to protect yourself against fraud and much more.

If you want to get more actively involved in Older Americans Month in your community, use this list of suggested activities to hold an event or volunteer with a group.

Lowest of the loans

Carl Heastie, assemblyman and Bronx Democratic boss, should be ashamed. He’s chief sponsor of a horrendous piece of legislation that would let low-income New Yorkers, including his Wakefield constituents, be victimized by interest rates of up to 200%.

Produced by an Academy Award-winning team including the Executive Producer of Taxi to the Dark Side and the Editor of Inside Job, Uprising tells the inside story of the Egyptian revolution from the perspective of its principal leaders and organizers, including four Nobel Peace Prize nominees. Their success in forcing the downfall of a brutal dictatorship has changed the face of the Middle East and provided hope for millions of oppressed people across the world. Above all, it is a story of profound hope, and of courage rewarded.

Q&A With Director Fredrik Stanton & Reception to Follow

Friday, May 3rd, 7:30pm

Rasta: A Soul's Journey

Dir. Stuart Samuels, 2011, 93 min, Canada

Rasta: A Soul's Journey tells the story of the journey of Rita and Bob Marley's granddaughter, Donisha Prendergast, to eight (8) countries around the world to explore the roots and evolution of Rastafari. Her journey takes her to places where her grandfather's captivating performances and his message are still fondly remembered. The documentary boasts an uplifting and inspiring reggae soundtrack that features established as well as emerging contemporary, reggae stars such as Humble, Matisyahu and Damian Marley. This exciting mix of travel, music and culture packs a powerful punch that will appeal to audiences around the world.

Q&A With Donisha Prendergast & Reception to Follow

Saturday, May 4th

1:00 Creation In Exile

2:30 Dear Mandela +We Want What's Ours

5:30 Jeppe On A Friday

8:00 You Laugh But Its True

Creation In Exile

Dir. Daniela Ricci, 2013, 53 min, France

This documentary follows the personal and artistic paths of five major African filmmakers in exile from Paris to Washington, from Ouagadougou to London, via Uppsala.

Q&A With Director Daniela Ricci & Reception to Follow

Dear Mandela

Dir. Dara Kell & Christopher Nizza, 2012, 90 min, South Africa

When the South African government promises to 'eradicate the slums' and begins to evict shack dwellers far outside the city, three friends who live in Durban's vast shantytowns refuse to be moved. Dear Mandela follows their journey from their shacks to the highest court in the land as they invoke Nelson Mandela's example and become leaders in a growing social movement. By turns inspiring, devastating and funny, the film offers a new perspective on the role that young people can play in political change and is a fascinating portrait of South Africa coming of age.

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Sifuna Okwethu: We Want What's Ours

Dir. Bernadette Atuahene, 2011, 19min, South Africa

Under Apartheid, the Ndolila family's ancestral land was stolen. Years later, with their descendents trying to regain ownership of the land, the family is still battling apartheid and its lingering effects. And much to the dismay of the middle-class black mortgage holders who now own their ancestral land, the Ndolilas have built shacks on the disputed property.

Jeppe On A Friday

Dir. Arya Lalloo & Shannon Walsh, 2012, 85 min, Quebec/South Africa

The directors and a team of local filmmakers spent a single day following five distinct characters, creating a portrait of a community pulsing with life. The result is an astonishing work that stands as a fluid exploration of the complex and fascinating spectrum of South African society.

Q&A With Filmmaker & Reception to Follow

You Laugh But Its True

Dir. David Paul Meyer, 2011, 84 min, US/South Africa

In South Africa's emerging world of stand-up comedy, comedians of color have only recently started performing on stage. With the opportunity to finally command the attention of a large audience, they go beyond just settling for easy laughs and confront the legacy of apartheid head on in their material. Against the backdrop of this volatile environment, 25-year-old Trevor Noah ambitiously pursues his passion to entertain. Yet his fledgling career as a comedian is largely relegated to headlining at corporate events due to the country's comedy scene being so small. Determined to pursue his dream of performing all over the world, Trevor decides to produce his first one-man show, despite his lack of experience performing on stage. Based on the size of the proposed venue alone, it will be the most ambitious debut ever attempted by a comedian in South Africa. To prepare for the show, Trevor revisits his past, creating material from memories of growing up in the township under apartheid. As the child of an interracial couple, a union that was illegal in South Africa at the time of his birth, Trevor's life reveals the story of an outsider who has somehow figured out a way to relate to everyone through his comedy. Despite this progress, the preparation for the show becomes increasingly difficult as Trevor faces a multitude of challenges: an underdeveloped comedy scene, criticism from other comics, strained personal relationships, lingering racial tension, and a shocking family tragedy. They combine to form a crisis that threatens not just the success of the show, but Trevor's dreams of lifting himself and the South African comedy scene to the global stage.

Reception to Follow Screening

Sunday, May 5th, 1:30pm

Footprints of My Other

Dir. Claude Haffner, 2011, 52 min, France/Congo

Claude Haffner, daughter of a French father and Congolese mother, sets off for Congo in search of her African identity. Her starting point is the archive of photos left by her late father, a specialist in African cinema. She also speaks with her mother, who tells of life in Congo and adjusting to France. In 2004, Claude and her mother visited Congo for the first time since the family left in 1981. This experience has inspired Claude to return again, now alone, to deepen her relationship with her mother's family. Her journey brings her face to face with the diamond trade, and with her sense of otherness, both in Congo and back home in France.

Q&A With Filmmaker to Follow

Monday, May 6th, 7:00pm

Mugabe: Villain or Hero?

Dir. Roy Agyemang, 2012, 116min, UK

Is there more to President Robert Mugabe and Zimbabwe than is being shown on our television screens? What's the true extent of Mugabe's support inside Zimbabwe? What has happened to the country that they all called the bread basket of Africa - and why? These questions and more led British filmmaker Roy Agyemang on a journey to Zimbabwe to make a documentary about President Robert Mugabe. What started out as a three-month mission turned into three life-changing years, culminating in a rare interview with one of the world's longest-serving yet most reviled leaders. Mugabe: Villain or Hero? Is an epic personal journey, narrated by Agyemang who, together with his UK-based Zimbabwean fixer, found themselves in Mugabe's entourage, on Colonel Gaddafi's private jet and around a host of prominent Afri

Youtube AfricanFilmFestfor teasers and previews from this year's film selection!

For over twenty years, African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) has bridged the divide between post-colonial Africa and the American public through the medium of film. AFF's unique place in the international arts community is distinguished not only by leadership in festival management but by a comprehensive approach to the advocacy of African film and culture. AFF established the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) in 1993 with Film Society of Lincoln Center. The New York African Film Festival is presented annually at the Walter Reade Theater by African Film Festival, Inc. and Film Society of Lincoln Center, in association with Brooklyn Academy of Music. AFF also produces a series of local, national, and international programs throughout the year.

Are Lawmakers Trying To Oust The Bronx DA?

Following a series of scathing reports on the utter dysfunction of the Bronx criminal courts, Democratic lawmakers are seeking to gently remove the borough's District Attorney, Robert Johnson. The Times reports that Assemblyman Carl Heastie, the Bronx's Democratic leader, has floated the idea of allowing Johnson to step down in the coming months so he could run for a position as a judge on the State Supreme Court. Johnson denied the plan: “I am scratching my head that you would write a story like this based on hearsay. I have no intention to leave office. I am hard at work at a job that I love and will not respond further to speculation and rumor.” [ more › ]